The Morecambe Bay Podcast

Over 500 members, 170 tonnes of surplus food saved from going to waste, 250 volunteering hours a week; just some of the impressive statistics shared by Eggcup, a charity with more than one function. As well as saving food from going to waste, they also provide real life experience for catering students at Lancaster and Morecambe College who use ingredients supplied to make ready meals which are di...

Thousands make a bee-line to it every year and since it opened in the 1920s Happy Mount Park in Morecambe has been a 'must-see' attraction for visitors of all ages. It's certainly changed over the years; the Radio 1 roadshow, illuminations and Mr Blobby are part of the park's rich history. Helping city council staff maintain it are a group of keen volunteers who give their time every Monday mornin...

From music and film to poetry and dance, a successful arts event with a difference has come to a close in Morecambe. The idea of the Morecambe People's Biennial was to reclaim the term "local artist" as one of pride and, organisers say, 'remove the prejudice of yokel from the local. ' 92 artists were inspired to get involved and funding from Lancashire County Council was distributed equally betwee...

You may have seen them (you might have missed them) but how much do you know about the natural phemomena that is the northern lights? The skies above the Bay were amazing again last night as countless pictures on social media prove. Is it happening more often? Have we now seen the best of the lights? And can we predict when we will see them again? Jim Wild is a professor of space physics at Lancas...

Rarely seen artefacts, the sights and sounds of a working shipyard and QR codes which allow spectacular access to gems from over the years are just some of the new developments in Barrow's Dock Museum. The Heritage Lottery Fund, Westmorland and Furness Council, BAE Systems and the Sir John Fisher Foundation have paid for the transformation of The Shipyard Gallery. The Morecambe Bay Podcast was...

Volunteers have been using historic techniques like weaving to trap trapping sediment and help prevent erosion around the Bay. The Morecambe Bay Partnership is working with Lancaster City Council, Lancaster University and communities and stakeholders around the coast as part of Our Future Coast. The project, funded by DEFRA, is underway at Hest Bank with two other areas at Bolton le Sands and Silv...

With the nights drawing in there's a better chance of seeing stunning stars, planets and even the northern lights in the skies above the Bay. But is there a risk that our dark skies could be affected by growing levels of light pollution? Jack Ellerby is dark skies project officer for the Friends of the Lake District and works to spread the word about the effect too much light at night can have...

In its day it was the centrepiece of coffee shops and milk bars all over. The jukebox was the only place where the pop music of the '50s and early '60s could be heard. But did you know the distinctive British jukebox was created on the seaside coast of Lytham, Blackpool and Morecambe? Funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, a project led by the Mirador creative arts organisation have gathered...

“The bigger the mandala, the more the work!  You can rack up 20,000 steps in the space of a couple of tennis courts over four or five hours.” Simon Wheatley's work is amazing: a self-taught sand artist his mandalas have captured many people's imaginations and have adorned beaches in Cumbria and beyond. To mark the 20th anniversary of the creation of Growing Well , a charity which uses hort...

How do you make the environment and sustainability interesting to primary school children? Can older students be persuaded to consider careers around Morecambe Bay instead of moving away? The Morecambe Bay Curriculum is a partnership between Lancaster University, Lancaster & Morecambe College, University of Cumbria and the Eden Project. Set up in 2019 the project aims to influence the National...

They are a band who draw inspiration from the Bay for their songs and are marking a milestone this summer. Named after a scene in the cult TV comedy Father Ted, Hiroshima Twinkie are a Lancaster-based indie-folk-rock group and are about to release a best of album to celebrate 14 years of performances. With songs such as Blue Sky Morning, Eyes Wide Open and Lune Valley Ramble songwriter Chris Barlo...

Morecambe’s place as a venue for live music goes back decades and is still very much alive today thanks to people like Howard Rogerson. Howard conducts the Promenade Concert Orchestra , the only one of its kind between Manchester and Glasgow. Formed in 2007 professional clarinettist Howard was keen to provide the opportunity for residents and visitors to Morecambe and the Bay area to enjoy light o...

One of the first episodes of the podcast featured some of those hardy souls who enjoy swimming in the Bay all year around. The group, Morecambe and Lancaster Lancashire Open Water Swimmers, was set up around the time of the pandemic and continues to grow. Jon Gibirdi is a founder member and has begun cataloguing information and stories about swimming. A book and a film are both underway. We met up...

Sandscale Haws at Roanhead supports a wealth of wildlife and with magnificent views across the Duddon Estuary onto the Lakeland Fells on a fine day it's idyllic. 40 years ago the National Trust became custodians of the national nature reserve. It's home to a quarter of the UK's population of rare natterjack toads and 2024 marks a momentous anniversary. Over the next few weeks there are...

For an organisation that only came into being in September 2023, the Bay Veterans Association has proved there's a real need for support for ex servicemen and women around the Bay. The Lancaster and Morecambe area is more 'vets' than many other areas. A new hub offering support and providing activities has just opened in Euston Road, Morecambe. The response from the community to an app...

To say it's home to only a few dozen people Sunderland Point they are a musical lot! The village has made a name as the home of a thriving sea shanty band. The Sunderland Point Sea Shanty Crew are in demand to perform around the Bay and further afield - they've been part of the Edinburgh Festival. Made up of a wide range of people they're creating their own music alongside well known s...

Morecambe Bay is reknown for paths and tracks offering brilliant views but it's also part of a national network of walking routes connecting all of Great Britain’s towns and cities as well as thousands of villages. Using existing paths, ways, trails and roads, people can use Slow Ways routes to walk or wheel and is designed to make it easier for people to imagine, plan and go on walking journe...

We know Morecambe Bay is a draw for tourists and that industry is big business around the Bay. But how far does the the area's influence extend and how much do we think about the impact the sea has on our lives? From chip shops in Morecambe to the ferries at Heysham, maritime matters affect us all. To find out more Dr Celine Germond-Duret, a lecturer in environmental politics in policy who is...

Morecambe's link to illuminations goes back to 1906 and it became for its light entertainment. The days of switch ons and massive displays may be long gone but last year Baylight drew 20,000 people to a modest 1.5km illuminated art trail along the prom. This year's theme is reflecting Morecambe's coastline so look out for tentacles on the Winter Gardens and recycled chains fashioned into light bal...

A candlelit memorial service has been held to mark the 20th anniversary of the deaths of 23 Chinese cockle pickers in Morecambe Bay. Members of the emergency services joined locals in paying tribute at the lifeboat station in Morecambe which played a leading part in the rescue and recovery of migrants stranded on the treacherous sands of the Bay. A cockle shell was offered as a permanent reminder...

“The moon laughs the clouds cry And a seagull screams at the night’s sky And the sad sea sighs – goodbye” Lemn Sissay – The Long Walk The twentieth anniversary of the Morecambe Bay cockling tragedy in February is a grim reminder of the incident which led to the deaths of 23 Chinese cockle pickers. A commemoration event led by More Music will take place on 4th February https://www.justgiving.com/cr...

How often do you go to your library? Did you know these days they offer far more than just a book lending service? The Friends of Heysham Library are certainly keen to promote the variety of activities held there. From Scrabble and Lego sessions to access to the web and even talks about bats, there's a lot going on. And with over 900 friends on social media, the volunteers are certainly helpin...

In one of the first editions of the Morecambe Bay Podcast we heard about BOOM - Back on Our Map - a project aimed at restoring the landscape of parts of the Bay to help reintroduce and reinforce locally threatened or extinct native species. Led by the University of Cumbria in partnership with Morecambe Bay Partnership together with Cumbria Wildlife Trust, Natural England and Forestry England it wa...

It's back for 2024! Coming up in the next series of the Morecambe Bay Podcast we'll hear from more great guests who take candidly about their life around the Bay. With over 100 episodes already published I'm looking forward to sharing more conversations from people you may know and many more you probably won't. If you'd like to get involved, get in touch by using the new 'S...

It's one of the country's best known bird reserves and 2024 will mark a significant anniversary for the RSPB's Leighton Moss. Big things are planned to mark 60 years since it was created. In that time it's welcomed thousands of visitors, not all feathered, and has made a big impact on many. As a young ornithologist Jon Carter often had to rely on his older brother to drive him to t...